Salisbury DAISY Awardee: June 2026

TidalHealth Peninsula Regional is pleased to announce that Crystal Harrison, RN, of Labor and Delivery has been selected as its DAISY Award recipient for June 2026.

Crystal was nominated by the family of a patient whose heartfelt words perfectly capture the compassion, skill, and extraordinary care she provides every day:

"My wife and I are international students here for my PhD, so we are far away from our home and support system. Going into this delivery, my wife was carrying a heavy burden. Her mother passed away just over a year ago. She was my wife’s rock during our first son’s birth in Nigeria while I was away, and the fear of giving birth without her mother’s voice and encouragement, even if just over the phone, was my wife’s biggest anxiety.

We prayed for help that night before our trip to the hospital, and we strongly believe Ms. Crystal Harrison was the answer to that prayer.

Crystal didn't just act like a nurse; she stepped in like the family we were missing. My wife was determined to have an unmedicated birth, which requires immense strength. Crystal honored that wish with absolute respect. She stayed right at the bedside, holding my wife's hand in her right, while I held her left, gripping tight through every wave of contraction. She didn't just tell her to breathe; she breathed with her to help manage the pain.

When the pain intensity peaked, Crystal brought hot pads which were a game-changer for soothing my wife’s back pain. She kept the ice water pitchers coming, which brought immense relief during the hardest moments. She was our advocate, seamlessly coordinating the whole team (midwife, charge nurse, baby nurse) so we could stay calm.

She is obviously incredibly skilled at her job with top-notch professionalism, but what touched us was her heart. Crystal turned a moment we feared would be lonely into a beautiful victory, setting the tone for a 5-star experience at TidalHealth. She filled the gap my mother-in-law left behind, stepping in as the big, caring sister we needed while so far from home, and so we will never forget how she cared for us as we welcomed our adorable baby."

Harrison was honored with the DAISY Award in a ceremony before her colleagues. She received a certificate commending her for being an extraordinary nurse, and a sculpture called A Healer's Touch, hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Zimbabwe.

The not-for-profit DAISY Foundation is based in Glen Ellen, California, and was established by family members in memory of J. Patrick Barnes. Barnes died at age 33 in late 1999 from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), a little-known but not uncommon autoimmune disease.

The care Barnes and his family received from nurses while he was ill inspired this unique means of thanking nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and patient families.

To nominate a TidalHealth registered nurse (RN) or licensed practical nurse (LPN) for this award, visit our DAISY Award Nomination Form.